So the Pope quoted some 14th-Century Byzantine Emporer (how about quoting something fresh, huh?), who was engaged in a debate with a Persian and said "show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."

I reckon this is a bit weird for a modern pope to be quoting, since pope-sanctioned crusades were carried out from the 11th all the way to the 16th century. A muslim cleric could just as well say "show me just what the Catholic Church brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as previous popes' commands to spread by the sword the faith they preached." But hey, whatever.

Some in the west have praised the pope for being brave and speaking truth to radical Muslims. Of course he's pissed off most of the Muslim world, and the reaction has been idiotically disproportionate.

I read in one story that this pope, in a break from his predecessor, wanted to pressure many Muslim countries to allow for more religious freedom. I don't see how this helps. And that didn't seem to be the message.

So now he's having to give prayers while he's flanked by sharpshooters. Sounds like fun.